Imagine you’re a CEO of a multi-billion dollar entertainment corporation. You have multiple assets and sources of income, but your entertainment franchises benefit your corporation the most.

Some low-level employee has an investment idea – an original story based on an original script.

Well, you have to say no right?

There’s no data out there to confirm that this original idea or adaptation will be profitable. Do you want another John Carter on your hands?A Star Wars sequel? Guranteed massive profits. An Avengers franchise addition? Guranteed massive profits.

The Walt Disney Corporation today is the least innovative entertainment corporation that has ever existed. Copy and pasting their way up the profit ladder. The magic that Walt Disney once dreamed of replicated till it feels worn or tired.

Now let’s talk capitalism. Obviously I’m zeroing in on the entertainment corporations, but what about ISPs?

Capitalism only works with competition. Yet, corporations garner so much power that they consolidate which inheritedly makes them less competitive.

With more companies involved in this competition it makes it more difficult to come out on top. Early on companies would have to find ways to stand out, be different. This is called innovation.

Innovation is why we have an internet, why we have cars, why we have television, movies, and touchscreen phones.

Apple creates an iPhone – oh shit! Now samsung, microsoft and all other companies have to make their version to compete.

Unfortunately, in consolidation innovation is stifled.

Why would ISPs rebuild their infrastructure when they could spend the money on lobbyists so they don’t have to do just that?

It’s sheer greed and laziness.

It was reported several years back that 90% of all our media was the product of just 7 corporations. Disney was one if them as was NewsCorp. 20th Century Fox was under NewsCorp and has now been acquired by Disney.

They will now get to explore franchises like Alien, Planet of the Apes, Ice Age, The X-Files, and The Simpsons as well as retain Marvel rights to The X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises.

This is problematic. In the 90s when Disney was still releasing innovative films like The Lion King, Pocahontas, Hunchback of Notre Dame we received some of the greatest animated films in cinema history.

We still get great films from Disney, don’t get me wrong, but they all seem to be boggled down by formula. Even films Like Frozen or Moana where they try one or two new things, but still remain realitivity safe in structure and subject matter.

Look, Disney will always profit and occasionally still release films you like or even love. But they are required less and less to be bold and innovative.

Good? sure. New or innovative? less and less.

As long as Citizens United exists and corporations are treated as people like you and I, they will have a greater role in our “democracy,” because they have the money and they have the lobbyists.

The senators and representatives you elect will hear more from them than they ever will from you.

More and more consolidation will be legal. Innovation will go by the wayside.

This merger sucks. It is an arrow through the heart of many creative minds, but it’s not the last big merger we’ll hear from.